Suction cleaner



Feb. 8, 1966 v o, s. ow R ETAL 3,233,392

SUCTION CLEANER Filed Jan. 15, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 24' 1 fiZ M BY M Z A ArraA /I/Ey Feb. 8, 1966 0.5. OWENMARK ET AL 3,2 3,3 2

SUCTION CLEANER Filed Jan. 15, l963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 2' 40 4 4;

6/ 59 0 I VENTOR5 .47 19 62 56 Bil Z 2 United States Patent 3,233,392 SUCTION CLEANER ()lov Stanley Owenmari; and Bengt Erik Bjorklund, Stockholm, Sweden, assignors to Aktiebolaget Electrolux, Stockholm, Sweden, a corporation of Sweden Filed Jan. 15, 1963, Ser. No. 251,605 Claims priority, application Sweden, Feb. 2, 1962, 1,187/ 62 Claims. (Cl. 55-357) Our invention relates to suction cleaners.

A motor-fan unit usually is employed to move air in a path of flow from the inlet to the outlet of a suction cleaner. Dust is removed from dust-laden air flowing through the suction cleaner in a dust bag which is located adjacent the inlet and removable from the cleaner. A fine filter often is provided adjacent the air outlet of the cleaner to insure removal of any fine dust particles which may pass through the dust bag before the air is discharged into the room. The air outlet or blowing outlet end of the cleaner usually is formed to detachably receive one end of a hose, to the opposite end of which is connected an accessory, such as a spraying device, for example.

An object of our invention is to provide an improved suction cleaner of the type indicated in which an air discharge opening formed to detachably receive an end of the hose is disposed within the cleaner and a fine air filter removably connected to the air discharge opening is positioned below a hinge cover provided at the top of the cleaner which is movable to make the air discharge opening available for use when desired. We accomplish this by providing a suction cleaner casing having a top "hinged cover which in its closed position is disposed over the air discharge opening from which air is directed vertically upward, and a fine air filter comprising a layer of air-permeable material which has a cross-sectional area greater than the air discharge opening and during normal operation of the cleaner for suction purposes is mounted over the air discharge opening in a space at the underside of the hinged cover, whereby air discharged from the air discharge opening will flow through the fine air filter and past the hinged cover exteriorly of the casing which defines the air outlet of the cleaner when positioned at an opening in the casing at a region over the air discharge opening.

Further objects and advantages of our invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds,

and the features of novelty which characterize the invention will be pointed out with particularity in the claims parts mounted thereon.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the suction cleaner which we have shown embodying the invention comprises an elongated casing 10 having a bottom section 11 and a top section 12. The casing 10 is provided with a handle 14 and with wheels 15 and 16 to facilitate movement thereof on a supporting surface, the wheels 15 being at opposing sides of the casing and the single caster wheel 16 at the front end of the casing being disposed between the side walls of the cleaner in a recessed part in the bottom 11.

The casing is provided with a vertical partition 17 and 3,233,392 Patented Feb. 8, 18%6 horizontal partitions 18 and 19 to divide the easing into a vertically extending space 20 and horizontally extending spaces 21, 22 and 23, the partitions 18 and 19 forming parts of the top section 12 of the casing 10. The vertical space 20, which is defined by the left-hand part of casing 10 and the top and bottom sections 17a and 17b of the vertical partition 17, is provided with an apertured top 24 to receive a dust collector or dust bag 25. The dust bag 25 is provided with a gasket (not shown) at the top open end thereof which is supported about the opening in the top 24 and anchored in place in any suitable manner (not shown) by parts at the underside of a cover 26. The cover 26 is pivotally mounted on the casing at 27 and held in its closed position by a movable latch 28. It will be understood that in its closed position the underside of the cover 26 cooperates with the dust bag 25 to provide an air-tight seal at its open end.

The cover 26 is formed with an inlet 29 to which a suction hose (not shown) is adapted to be removably connected. Suitable cleaning tools may be connected to a wand which in turn is connected to the outer free end of the suction hose and through which air flows through the inlet 29 by motor-fan units 30 disposed in the righthand part of the casing 10. As seen in FIG. 1, one motorfan unit 30 is adjacent to the vertical partition 17 and the other motor-fan unit, only the upper part of which is illustrated, is removed from the partition 17 and adjacent to the right-hand end of the casing 10 at the vicinity of the wheels 15. The motor-fan units 30 are connected in parallel in an electrical circuit having a switch (not shown) provided with a manually operable control member 31 at the side wall of the top section 12 of the casing 14). Dirt entrained in air drawn into the inlet 29 is separated from the air when it passes through the dust bag 25, and air from which dirt has been removed flows from space 20 through an opening 32 in the bottom vertical partition section 17b into the bottom horizontal space 21.

Each motor-fan unit 30 includes a centrifugal fan 33 carried at the lower end of an electric motor 34. The horizontal partition 18 is formed with a pair of openings in which the motor-fan units 30 are resiliently mounted at 35. The motor-fan units 3%) are mounted on the partition 18 in such a manner that the fans 33 are disposed in the bottom space 21 and the motors 34 are disposed in the space 22 between the horizontal partitions 18 and 19. Air free of dirt and flowing into the bottom horizontal space 21 passes into the inlets 36 of the fans 33 which are positioned alongside one another. All of the air discharged from the fans 33 flows through the motors 34 to effect cooling thereof, such air passing from the motors at 37 and flowing from the horizontal space 22 through a vertically extending hollow sleeve section 33 defining an opening 39 in the horizontal partition 19.

A suction cleaner accessory is often detachably connected to the air discharge opening 39 of the cleaner. The accessory may be a hose, or a spraying device which is connected to one end of the hose, the opposite end of which is connected to the air discharge opening 39. For this reason the inner wall of the hollow sleeve section 38 is constructed at 38a to detachably receive an end of a hose. Suction cleaner hoses are usually provided with fittings which are of a kind well known in the art and enable them to be detachably connected at 38a within the hollow sleeve section 38.

A filter unit 40, which is positioned at the bottom of the space 23, is in communication with the air discharge opening 39 and removable therefrom to permit a suction cleaner accessory to be detachably connected to the air discharge opening. The filter unit 40 comprises a hollow resilient collar or tubular section 41 and'two sheets 42 and 43 of porous material which are permeable to air and preferably microporous in character. The

sheet 42, which is formed with a central opening, has its inner periphery secured at 42a to the tubular section 41 and its outer periphery joined to the outer periphery of the sheet 43 which is of concave form. The sheets 42 and 43 define a diffusion chamber into which air is discharged through the tubular section 41 from the air discharge opening 39. The sheets 42 and 43 may comprise single sheets of material, such as cloth, paper or the like, for example, which are formed of fibrous material which is permeable to air and impregnated or bonded with a plastic like polyacrylonitrile butadienestyrene.

As shown in FIG. 2, an apertured cage or screen 45 is fixed to the underside of the partition 19 about the hollow sleeve section 38. The screen 45 serves as a protective shield to prevent current-carrying parts of the motor circuit from being contacted when the filter unit 40 is removed from the air discharge opening 39 and the latter is exposed.

According to this invention, the top space 23 is provided with a cover 46 which is in the form of an opentop tray or basket having a bottom 47 and an upstanding side wall 48 about which is disposed a skirt or frame 49 that projects downward below the bottom to form a compartment 50 at the underside of the cover. The cover 46 is provided with an L-shaped part 46, the long arm of which extends lengthwise of and above the cover and serves as the handle 14 for the cover and also for the suction cleaner and the short vertical arm 51 of which is fixed to one end of the cover. The cover 46 is hinged at 27 to the top of the casing. As best shown in FIG. 1, the hinge 27 includes a first hinge plate 52' fixed to the upper section 17a of the vertical partition 17 and a second hinge plate 52 fixed to the side wall 48 at the end of the cover 46 which is adjacent to the vertical partition. The long arm of the L-shaped part 46', which serves as the handle 14 for the cleaner, a part of which is shown in FIG. 4, extends lengthwise of the cover 46 from the vertical arm 51 of the L-shaped part toward the hinge 2'7 and is fixed to the second hinge plate 52 in any suitable manner (not shown). The hinge 27 preferably is of a type which permits the cover 46 to swing from its closed position shown in FIG. 1 to an open position in which the handle 14 rests on the hinged cover 26. The tray or basket formed by the cover 46 may be employed for storing cleaning tools, such as nozzles and the like, when they are not being used for cleaning.

The cover 46 is locked in its closed position by a lock 53. As best shown in FIG. 3, the lock 53 comprises a pair of pins 54 and 55 in axial alignment. The outer pin 54 is axially movable in an opening formed in the arm 51 of the cover 46, outward movement of the pin 54 being limited by a washer 56 and inward movement being limited by the enlarged end 57 which serves as an operating button and moves into and out of a recess 58 in the cover arm 51.

The inner pin 55 is axially movable in a hollow sleeve 59 provided at a rim of the top casing section 12. The outer extremity of the inner pin 55 projects through an opening 60 in the skirt or frame 49 of the cover 46 and the outer pin 54 when pushed inward imparts inward movement to the pin 55 against the biasing action of a spring 61. When the inner end of the pin 54 is moved into the opening 60 and the inner pin 55 is forced out of the opening, the cover 46 is unlocked and can be raised from its closed position about the pivotal connection at 27.

After the cover 46 has been raised above the pin 55 the latter is moved to its outer position by the biasing action of the spring 61. When the cover 46 is moved to its closed position the outer extremity of the pin 55 is contacted by the inclined surface or beveled edge 62 provided on the skirt 49 of the cover, whereby the pin 55 is urged inward against the biasing action of the spring 61. When the cover 46 has been moved down sufficiently to bring the opening 60 in alignment with the pin 55, the latter will move into the opening 60 and lock the cover in its closed position by the biasing action of the spring 61.

According to this invention, the filter unit 40 is maintained in its operative position in communication with the air discharge opening 39 with the aid of a frame or holder 63 fixed to the bottom of the cover 46. The frame 63 is resilient in character and formed of Wire having a pair of spaced arms 64 which extend lengthwise of the cover 46, the arms at one end being bent to provide inclined portions 64a, as best seen in FIG. 1. The upper ends of the inclined arm portions 64a are connected by a short length of wire to form a handle 65 for the frame 63. The bottom 47 of the cover 46 adjacent to the lock end is provided with a pair of apertured bosses 66 which receive the opposite bent ends 64b of the arms 64, whereby the frame 63 is angularly movable in the apertured bosses 66. A collar or ring 67 is disposed between the arms 64 and fixed thereto at 68 at a region midway between the ends of the frame 63.

The tubular section 41 of the filter unit 40 desirably is flexible in character and formed of soft resilient mate rial, such as rubber or plastic, for example, and provided with an external groove 41a of annular form adjacent a tapered end portion 41b to facilitate its attachment to and removal from the edge of the opening in the collar or ring 67, as best shown in FIG. 2.

When the cover 46 is locked in its closed position shown in FIG. 1, the resilient frame 63 is retained in the bottom compartment 50 of the cover 46 and resiliently presses the bottom edge 41a of the resilient tubular section 41 of the filter unit 40 in good sealing engagement with the partition 19 about the opening 39 therein. Stated another way, bent ends 64b of arms 64 and the handle 65 at opposite ends of the frame 63 are held fast against the bottom 47 of the cover 46 and, when the hollow tubular section 41 of the filter 40 is in physical contact with the partition 19, become arched in the direction of their length and resiliently bias the tubular section 41 downward toward the top surface of the partition 19 to obtain a good seal between its bottom edge 41c and the partition 19.

The bottom 47 of the cover 46 is formed with a plurality of ridges or projections 69 which radiate outward in all directions from a zone above the collar 67. During operation of the suction cleaner, air is discharged under pressure through the opening 39 into the chamber or hollow interior 44 of the filter 40 and the top sheet 43 assumes the concave shape shown in FIG. 1. The ridges 69 function as spacers to hold the top sheet 43 in spaced relation with respect to the bottom 47 of the cover 46. With this arrangement, air can fiow freely from the chamber 44 through the top sheet 43.

When the cover 46 is in its closed position, a gap 70 is formed between the side walls 48 of the cover 46 on the one hand and the side walls of the casing 10 and partition 17 on the other hand, as best shown in FIG. 1. Air discharged from the opening 39 fiows through the fine air filter 40 and through the gap '70 past the hinged cover 46 exteriorly of the casing 10.

During normal operation of the cleaner 10 air flows through the opening 39 at a relatively high velocity. The porous sheet 43 has an overall cross-sectional area that is materially greater than that of the air outlet 39, whereby the air is subdivided into a multiplicity of tiny air streams which are discharged from the outer surface of the porous sheet 43 which reduces the velocity of the air discharged from the cleaner so that settled dust in the vicinity of the cleaner will not be disturbed. The filter unit 40 serves to remove fine dust particles from air discharged from the opening 39.

When it is desired to connect a suction cleaner accessory to the air discharge opening 39 of the cleaner, the hinged cover 46 is raised from its closed position shown in FIG. '1. With such movement of the cover 46 the filter frame or holder 63, which is pivotally connected at the bent ends 64b of the arms 64 to the underside of the cover 46, swings downward from a horizontal position toward the vertical position shown in FIG. 4. To replace the filter unit 40 with a fresh filter unit, the soft tubular section 41 is deformed suificiently to disconnect it from the collar 67 of the holder 63 and the soft tubular section 41 of the fresh filter unit inserted into the collar so that the annular groove 41:: receives the inner peripheral edge of the collar. Thereafter, the filter frame or holder 63 can be angularly moved against the underside of the cover 46 and the latter then moved to its closed position. The inclined portions 64a of the arms 64 and handle portion 65 of the filter frame function to hold collar 67 at the correct vertical position with respect to the partition 19 so that the resilient arms 64 will be effective to resiliently press the soft tubular section 41 of the filter unit 40 against the partition.

It will now be understood that the dust collector 25 in the path of air flow is disposed between the air inlet 29 and the air moving means 30, and the fine air filter 40 is disposed between the air moving means 30 and the air outlet of the cleaner which is formed by the gap 70 and defined by the cover 46 when the latter is in its closed position at the top opening of the casing, as shown in FIG. 1. The dust collector 25 and air moving means 30 and fine air filter 40 comprise a plurality of elements functioning in the path of air flow between the inlet 29 and cleaner outlet at the vicinity of the cover 46. The fine air filter 40 comprises the last element in the path of flow through which air passes before being discharged from the cleaner casing 10.

The side walls of the casing and partition 17 define a top opening of the casing and the pivotally mounted cover 46 functions as an exterior wall section of the casing. The air outlet 70 of the cleaner is defined by the cover or exterior wall section 46 when the latter is positioned at the top opening of the casing 10, as shown in FIG. 1.

The portion of the path of flow of air between the motor-fan units 30 and the fine air filter 40 includes the hollow sleeve section 38 in the horizontal wall or partition 19. Essentially, the hollow sleeve section 38 formed in the casing 10 defines passage means having an opening 39 from which air emerges in its path of flow toward the fine air filter 49. The passage means constitutes structure which, together with the motor-fan units 30, is operable to produce an air stream which is directed substantially perpendicularly to the fine air filter 40. After passing through the fine filter 40 the air then flows past the cover or exterior wall section 46 exteriorly of the casing 10, as explained above.

Although we have shown and described a single embodiment of our invention, we do not wish to be limited to the particular arrangement set forth, and we intend in the following claims to cover all modifications which do not depart from the spirit and scope of our invention.

We claim:

1. The combination with a suction cleaner having a casing provided with an inlet and outlet and having a path of flow for air therebetween, means in said casing for moving air in said path of flow from the inlet to the outlet, and a dust collector in said path of flow which is disposed between said inlet and said air moving means and through which the air moving in said path of flow passes to remove dust therefrom, of a fine air filter in said path of flow which is disposed within said casing between said air moving means and said outlet and through which the air moving in said path of flow passes to remove fine dust particles therefrom, said dust collector and air moving means and fine air filter comprising a plurality of elements functioning in said path of flow between the inlet and outlet, said fine air filter comprising the last element in said path of flow through which air passes before being discharged through the outlet, passage means which is in said path of flow between said air moving means and the cleaner outlet and has an opening from which air emerges in said path of flow from the inlet to the outlet, said fine air filter comprising a hollow member defining a chamber and a throat section which is connected thereto and in communication with said chamber, said throat section being connected to said passage means at said opening therein to receive air emerging from said opening, said chamber being defined at least in part by a layer of air-permeable material substantially normal to the axis of said throat section and having a cross-sectional area greater than that of said opening in said passage means, structure comprising said air moving means and said passage means having said opening to produce a stream of air which is directed substantially perpendicularly to said layer of material, said casing including wall means defining an opening and an exterior wall section therefor, means for pivotally mounting said wall section on said casing for movement to and from a position at the opening in said casing, the outlet for the cleaner being defined by a gap between said wall means and said exterior wall section in its position at the opening in said casing, and the opening in said passage means being formed to receive an end of a hose and being accessible when said exterior wall section is moved from its position at the opening in said casing.

2. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 in which the opening in said passage means has a vertically extending axis and is formed to detachably receive said throat section of said fine air filter, the opening defined by said wall means being provided at the top of said casing and said exterior wall section being pivotally movable to and rom its position at the top opening in said casing at a region over the opening in said passage means, and latch means for holding said exterior wall section in its position at the top opening in said casing, said wall section serving as a removable cover for the cleaner and including a handle for carrying the cleaner when said wall section is latched in its position at the top opening in said casing. l

3. Apparatus as set forth in claim 2 in which said exterior wall section defines an open-top receptacle at the top of said casing, said receptacle having a bottom and upstanding side wall for storing cleaning tools.

4. The combination with a suction cleaner having a casing provided with an inlet and outlet and having a path of flow for air therebetween, means in said casing for moving air in said path of flow from the inlet to the outlet, and a dust collector in said path of flow which is disposed between said inlet and said air moving means and through which the air moving in said path of flow passes to remove dust therefrom, of a fine air filter in said path of flow which is disposed within said casing between said air moving means and the outlet and through which the air moving in said path of flow passes to remove fine dust particles therefrom, said dust collector and air moving means and fine air filter comprising a plurality of elements functioning in said path of flow between said inlet and outlet, said fine air filter comprising the last element in said path of flow through which air passes before being discharged through the outlet, passage means which is in said path of flow between said air moving means and the cleaner outlet and has an opening from which air emerges in said path of flow from the inlet to the outlet, said fine air filter comprising a hollow member defining a chamber and a throat section which is connected thereto and in communication with said chamber, said throat section being detachably connected to said passage means at said opening therein to receive air emerging from said opening, said chamber being defined at least in part by a layer of air-permeable material substantially normal to the axis of said throat section and having a cross-sectional area greater than that of said opening in said passa-ge means, structure comprising said air moving means and said passage means having said opening to produce a stream of air which is directed substantially perpendicularly to said layer of material, said casing including wall means defining a top opening and an exterior wall section therefor serving as a cover for the cleaner, means for pivotally mounting said wall section on said casing for movement to and from a position at the top opening in said casing, the outlet of the cleaner being defined by said wall section when positioned at the top opening in said casing, means comprising a frame fixed to said wall section for removably holding said fine air filter at the underside of said wall section and detachably connecting and disconnecting said throat section thereof to and from said passage means at the opening therein when said wall section is moved to and from its position at the top opening in said casing, and the opening in said passage means being formed to receive an end of a hose and being accessible when said exterior wall section ismoved from its position at the opening in said casing.

5. Apparatus as set forth in claim 4 in which said throat section is resilient and said frame comprises structure for resiliently biasing said throat section in sealing relation with said passage means at the opening therein when said Wall section is moved to its position at the top opening in said casing.

-6. Apparatus as set forth in claim 4 in which said frame comprises stiif elongated elements which are resilient and bendable.

7. Apparatus as set forth in claim 4 in which the underside of said wall section is provided with spaced downwardly extending projections and said layer of airpermeable material is held against said projections by said frame to space said layer from the underside of said wall section when the latter is moved to its position at the top opening in said casing.

8. Apparatus as set forth in claim 4 in which said frame is fixed to said exterior wall section by means providing a pivotalconnection therefor.

9. Apparatus as set forth in claim 4 in which said throat section is resilient and said frame includes a member of annular form to receive and detachably hold said throat section.

10. Apparatus as set forth in claim 9 in which said frame comprises structure for resiliently biasing said throat section in sealing relation with said passage means at the opening therein when said wall section is moved to its position at the top opening in said casing.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,555,742 6/1951 Grue -374 2,699,838 l/1955 Holm-LHansen 55357 2,766,842 10/1956 Hurd 55-376 2,870,863 1/1959 Bramhall 55-376 FOREIGN PATENTS 757,185 9/ 1956 Great Britain. 881,975 11/1961 Great Britain.

HARRY B. THORNTON, Primary Examiner. 

1. THE COMBINATION WITH A SUCTION CLEANER HAVING A CASING PROVIDED WITH AN INLET AND OUTLET AND HAVING A PATH OF FLOW FOR AIR THEREBETWEEN, MEANS IN SAID CASING FOR MOVING AIR IN SAID PATH OF FLOW FROM THE INLET TO THE OUTLET, AND A DUST COLLECTOR IN SAID PATH OF FLOW WHICH IS DISPOSED BETWEEN SAID INLET AND SAID AIR MOVING MEANS AND THROUGH WHICH THE AIR MOVING IN SAID PATH OF FLOW PASSES TO REMOVE DUST THEREFROM, OF A FINE AIR FILTER IN SAID PATH OF FLOW WHICH IS DISPOSED WITHIN SAID CASING BETWEEN SAID AIR MOVING MEANS AND SAID OUTLET AND THROUGH WHICH THE AIR MOVING IN SAID PATH OF FLOW PASSES TO REMOVE THE FINE DUST PARTICLES THEREFROM, SAID DUST COLLECTOR AND AIR MOVING MEANS AND FINE AIR FILTER COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF ELEMENTS FUNCTIONING IN SAID PATH OF FLOW BETWEEN THE INLET AND OUTLET, SAID FINE AIR FILTER COMPRISING THE LAST ELEMENT IN SAID PATH OF FLOW THROUGH WHICH AIR PASSES BEFORE BEING DISCHARGED THROUGH THE OUTLET, PASSAGE MEANS WHICH IS IN SAID PATH OF FLOW BETWEEN SAID AIR MOVING MEANS AND THE CLEANER OUTLET AND HAS AN OPENING FROM WHICH AIR EMERGES IN SAID PATH OF FLOW FROM THE INLET TO OUTLET, SAID FINE AIR FILTER COMPRISING A HOLLOW MEMBER DEFINING A CHAMBER AND A THROAT SECTION WHICH IS CONNECTED THERETO AND IN COMMUNICATION WITH SAID CHAMBER, SAID THROAT SECTION BEING CONNECTED TO SAID PASSAGE MEANS AT SAID OPENING THEREIN TO RECEIVE AIR EMERGING FROM SAID OPENING, SAID CHAMBER BEING DEFINED AT LEAST IN PART BY A LAYER OF AIR-PERMEABLE MATERIAL SUBSTANTIALLY NORMAL TO THE AXIS OF SAID THROAT SECTION AND HAVING A CROSS-SECTIONAL AREA GREATER THAN THAT OF SAID OPENING IN SAID PASSAGE MEANS, STRUCTURE COMPRISING SAID AIR MOVING MEANS AND SAID PASSAGE MEANS HAVING SAID OPENING TO PRODUCE A STREAM OF AIR WHICH IS DIRECTED SUBSTANTIALLY PERPENDICULARLY TO SAID LAYER OF MATERIAL, SAID CASING INCLUDING WALL MEANS DEFINING AN OPENING AND AN EXTERIOR WALL SECTION THEREFOR, MEANS FOR PIVOTALLY MOUNTING SAID WALL SECTION ON SAID CASING FOR MOVEMENT TO AND FROM A POSITION AT THE OPENING IN SAID CASING, THE OUTLET FOR THE CLEANER BEING DEFINED BY A GAP BETWEEN SAID WALL MEANS AND SAID EXTERIOR WALL SECTION IN ITS POSITION AT THE OPENING IN SAID CASING, AND THE OPENING IN SAID PASSAGE MEANS BEING FORMED TO RECEIVE AN END OF A HOSE AND BEING ACCESSIBLE WHEN SAID EXTERIOR WALL SECTION IS MOVED FROM ITS POSITION AT THE OPENING IN SAID CASING. 